From fans to experts, everyone felt that Team India was taking a big risk by playing against the UAE with just two pacers. But what they all forgot was that the team had a hidden weapon, waiting in the shadows. And that was Shivam Dube.
No one really expected the management to trust him with the ball. But when Hardik Pandya’s opening over went for 10 runs, Suryakumar Yadav turned to Dube. And he didn’t just bowl to get through the overs, he delivered such a powerful audition that India’s pace count suddenly went from 2 to 3.
Behind Dube’s performance was also the guiding hand of bowling coach Morne Morkel, coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Surya.
After his brilliant show with the ball against the UAE, Dube, in the post-match press conference, said, “The captain and coach told me beforehand that I would bowl. ‘We have confidence in you,’ they said."
"My bowling coach helped me with a lot of things. I had been preparing for a long time to be ready whenever the opportunity came. What happened today was the reward for that preparation," he concluded.
Before the match, there were voices saying Rinku Singh could be played instead of Dube. Some even argued that Team India didn’t need such a long batting line-up and that a specialist pacer would be a better option.
But this is how Shivam Dube answered: 2 overs, 3 wickets, just 4 runs. Those weren’t just bowling figures — they were a statement. A loud message that Shivam Dube isn’t just a batter, but a genuine all-rounder, a warrior who steps up when the world doubts him.
Shivam Dube vs Hardik Pandya
While the world is now driving comparisons between all-rounders Dube and Hardik Pandya, Shivam called Hardik a guiding figure in his journey.
“Hardik is the kind of player from whom I keep learning. He is like my brother. His experience in the IPL and international cricket is huge. I want to learn as much as I can from him. I keep asking him questions, even about batting. I have never thought about comparisons. All I want, playing alongside him, is to learn and use that knowledge to improve myself," said Dube.
India takes on Pakistan in the next match, and Dube, the all-rounde, is a weapon which every captain would love to have up his sleeve.
